Snowflake Twills

While I was preparing for the exhibition "Japonisme" I had to stay really focussed on the sewing but I did dangle a carrot in the "I want" part of my mind.  I was going to weave the most amazing place mats anyone had done, weave the finest linen lace pillow cases ever, the most colourful rep weave table runners, etc.  Finished the exhibition and ... zilch.  Apart from four runs of blankets (i.e. 8 blankets) which, once I've dyed the yarns, I can weave on auto pilot, I have just waffled.

Until this post by Susan when something spoke to me.  Now I have collected every article I could find on Snowflakes; Weavers 13, 18, 20, 30 and the hearts in Spring 1997.  Twill is my first love of weave structures ever since Bonnie Inouye's visit down under in 2002 and she presented "The Big Twill" which included a draft for Snowflake.  Now was its time.  After much fiddling with Fibreworks PCW I finally decided to just get on with it and try something so threaded for a slightly modified version of the Starburst threading, issue 13.  (There is a correction which appeared in issue 15 of Weavers.)  I have to say its wonderful to be able to use the computer program to tell me which shaft to thread on a draft such as this.

And I sampled.  Same honey 16/2 cotton weft, a natural slub cotton weft which shrank and looked dirty and white mercerised 16/2 cotton weft.  Now I've been dithering for days which weft to use.  The little bit between the navy blue threads was trying a networked twill on the starburst threading.

 I like honey on honey and my white china looks great on it but without any contrast of even dull/shine it doesn't show up the pattern

 whereas the white has a bit more body and a sheen.  It also shows up the wee diamonds in the bottom right hand corner of this pic.

In the meantime I've been working on another run of blankets, Rata this time, for Pauanesia.  Brilliant Christmas red.  I can't work on them at night as the red keeps me awake!

Now here's a strange thought.  Does any one else have to lean in the window at the back of their loom to tie the new warp to the back apron?  Guess not!  I wouldn't dare try to move the loom now, so when needs must ...